...it's the cream of the crop collected in 80 Page Giant #4 (October, 1964)...
...all under an expressive cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson!
Showcase #13
Barry Allen felt being a hero was being a hero to the whole world, making a radio that allowed him to listen to broadcasts from all over the globe, which he then took action on, starting with saving the Eiffel Tower from an atomic bomb planted by the Black Cat, saving a princess and her jewels from criminals to get her home to Cairo, fighting them on a pyramid (which gets damaged, but Flash fixes that as well after beating them, stopping an avalanche in Tibet, and even dealing with a pirate sub and its torpedo...and still getting home in time in 80 minutes to have a date with Iris West!
You thought you had a busy day....
Showcase #14
After a lunch with Iris and her plans fly to an assignment, Barry goes about his day....but Iris' plane is kidnapped by a flying saucer! Flash tries to find a way to follow Iris, eventually breaking an inter-dimensional barrier, being captured by small green aliens, who also have Iris, and place the Flash in an hourglass prison, planning to destroy the Earth as they grow while the hourglass prison counts the time (and finishes the Flash). Barry finds a way to escape, saves Iris, stops the aliens, and they get back home.
Flash #105
The Mirror Master premieres in this story, using his trick mirrors to duplicate the image of bankers to rob from banks. Flash follows one of the bankers to a house, where Flash is set upon by strange images, including a giant mosquito!
Flash figures out a way to shut off the lights, allowing him to beat the Mirror Master (though Sam Scudder returns to face the Flash again, as detailed here!).
Flash Comics #90
Flash works with an aging baseball team called the Bobtails, that are having a losing streak. Jay helps them along, getting their own team spirit going again (even after they get kidnapped, forcing the Flash to play all nine positions for a time), still getting the team back, which helps their ailing manager recover from his problems as well!
Flash #110
Barry is dealing with an odd weather streak in Central City, finding out that one man, Mark Mardon, the Weather Wizard is responsible for the problem. Mark was a criminal who stole his dead scientist brother's weather control device, and after making a costume for himself, used that tech to become the Weather Wizard. Flash stops the weather problems Mardon causes, as well as the Weather Wizard himself. But, his whirlwind day left Flash confused, as he showed up for a date with Iris as the Flash (a surprise to Iris, because at this time, Iris does not know Barry is the Flash!). The Weather Wizard would return, eventually even joining with other Flash Rogues!
Flash #115
Gorilla Grodd invented a pill that would allow him to transfer his mind into another person, leaving his body behind, to be proclaimed dead by the king of Gorilla City, Solovar. Grodd ends up in the body of William Dawson, taking a job as an animal trainer, and using the chimps to stage robberies...at least until the Flash gets involved. Tracking the crimes backward, Flash approaches Dawson, who uses a special ray to get Flash to retain water, grow in size and weight, and to get amnesia. Dawson uses the now huge Flash as an attraction, at least until Flash sees his distorted reflection in a funhouse mirror, restoring Barry's memory, so he could catch Dawson (though Flash does not find out he is Grodd....that comes later in one of Barry's many battles with Gorilla Grodd!).
Of course, Flash also had an Annual in the Silver Age, as well as another 80 Page Giant with his first team-up with Jay, and many of his foes!
Such terrific writing and artwork back then.
ReplyDelete